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<TABLE cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 width="90%"><TR><TD CLASS="chtitle">
<FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">
<CENTER><B>CHAPTER 3.&nbsp; THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS</B></CENTER></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><BR>
<BR>

<!--page 16-->
<A NAME="1"></A>
<CENTER><B>1. Uses of the present continuous</B></CENTER><BR>
In English, the Present Continuous tense is usually used to express
continuing, ongoing actions which are taking place at the moment of
speaking or writing. In the examples given below, the verbs in the
Present Continuous tense are underlined.<BR>
e.g. Right now I <U>am cooking</U> supper.<BR>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; At the moment the plane <U>is flying</U> over the Gulf of St. Lawrence.<BR>
<BR>
The Present Continuous tense is often used in conversation.<BR>
e.g. &quot;What <U>are</U> you <U>doing</U>?&quot;<BR>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;I <U>am working</U> on my English assignment.&quot;<BR>
<BR>
Occasionally, the Present Continuous tense is used to refer to a future event.<BR>
e.g. We <U>are leaving</U> tomorrow.<P>
&nbsp;<BR>

<A NAME="2"></A>
<CENTER><B>2. Formation of the present continuous</B></CENTER><BR>
The Present Continuous tense of any verb is formed from the Simple
Present of the auxiliary <B>to be</B>, followed by what is generally referred
to as the <B>present participle</B> of the verb.<BR>
<BR>
The present participle of a verb is formed by adding <B>ing</B> to the bare
infinitive. For instance, the present participle of the verb <B>to work</B> 
is <B>working</B>.<BR>
<BR>
Thus, the Present Continuous tense of the verb <B>to work</B> is conjugated
as follows:<BR>
<BR>
<CENTER><TABLE>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;I am working</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;you are working</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;he is working</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;she is working</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;it is working</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;we are working</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;they are working</TD></TR>
</TABLE></CENTER>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#1">Exercise 1</A>.<P>
&nbsp;<BR>

<A NAME="3"></A>
<CENTER><B>3. Spelling rules for the formation of the present participle</B></CENTER><BR>
Some verbs change their spelling when the ending <B>ing</B> is added to form
the present participle.<BR>
<BR>

<A NAME="3a"></A>
<B>a. Verbs ending in a silent e</B><BR>
When a verb ends in a silent <B>e</B>, the silent <B>e</B> is dropped before the
ending <B>ing</B> is added. For example:<BR>
<BR>

<!--page 17-->
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to close</TD><TD>&nbsp; closing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to dine</TD><TD>&nbsp; dining</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to leave</TD><TD>&nbsp; leaving</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to move</TD><TD>&nbsp; moving</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
However, when a verb ends in an <B>e</B> which is not silent, the final <B>e</B>
is not dropped before the ending <B>ing</B> is added. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to be</TD><TD>&nbsp; being</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to see</TD><TD>&nbsp; seeing</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>

<A NAME="3b"></A>
<B>b. Verbs ending in ie</B><BR>
When a verb ends in <B>ie</B>, the <B>ie</B> is changed to <B>y</B>  before the ending
<B>ing</B> is added. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to die</TD><TD>&nbsp; dying</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to lie</TD><TD>&nbsp; lying</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
When a verb ends in <B>y</B>, no change is made before the ending is
added. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to fly</TD><TD>&nbsp; flying</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to play</TD><TD>&nbsp; playing</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#2">Exercise 2</A>.<BR>
<BR>

<A NAME="3c"></A>
<B>c. One-syllable verbs ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel</B><BR>
Except in the case of the final consonants <B>w</B>, <B>x</B> and <B>y</B>, when a
one-syllable verb ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel,
the final consonant must be doubled before the ending <B>ing</B> is added.
The reason for this is to reflect the fact that the pronunciation of
the single vowel does not change when the ending <B>ing</B> is added.<BR>
<BR>
English vowels have a variety of pronunciations. For instance, each
English vowel has two contrasting pronunciations, which are sometimes
referred to as <B>short</B> and <B>long</B>. Vowels which are followed by two
consonants, and vowels which are followed by a single consonant at
the end of a word, are generally pronounced <B>short</B>. In contrast,
vowels which are followed by a single consonant followed by another
vowel are generally pronounced <B>long</B>.<BR>


<!--page 18-->
<BR>
In the table below, the underlined vowels in the left-hand column are
pronounced <B>short</B>; whereas the underlined vowels in the right-hand
column are pronounced <B>long</B>. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Short Vowels</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Long Vowels</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; f<U>a</U>t</TD><TD>&nbsp; f<U>a</U>te</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; t<U>a</U>pping</TD><TD>&nbsp; t<U>a</U>ping</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; l<U>e</U>t</TD><TD>&nbsp; del<U>e</U>te</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; w<U>i</U>n</TD><TD>&nbsp; w<U>i</U>ne</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; f<U>i</U>lling</TD><TD>&nbsp; f<U>i</U>ling</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; n<U>o</U>t</TD><TD>&nbsp; n<U>o</U>te</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; h<U>o</U>pping</TD><TD>&nbsp; h<U>o</U>ping</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; fl<U>u</U>tter</TD><TD>&nbsp; fl<U>u</U>te</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
Thus, in the case of most one-syllable verbs ending in a single consonant
preceded by a single vowel, the vowel is pronounced <B>short</B>. In order
to reflect the fact that the vowel is also pronounced short in the
corresponding present participle, except in the case of <B>w</B>, <B>x</B> and <B>y</B>,
the final consonant must be doubled before the ending <B>ing</B> is added.
<BR>
<BR>
In the following examples, the consonants which have been doubled are<BR>
underlined. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to nod</TD><TD>&nbsp; no<U>dd</U>ing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to dig</TD><TD>&nbsp; di<U>gg</U>ing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to run</TD><TD>&nbsp; ru<U>nn</U>ing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to clap</TD><TD>&nbsp; cla<U>pp</U>ing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to set</TD><TD>&nbsp; se<U>tt</U>ing</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
When a verb ends in <B>w</B>, <B>x</B> or <B>y</B> preceded by a single vowel, the final
consonant is <U>not</U> doubled before the ending is added. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to draw</TD><TD>&nbsp; drawing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to fix</TD><TD>&nbsp; fixing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to say</TD><TD>&nbsp; saying</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
It should also be noted that when a verb ends in a single consonant
preceded by <U>two</U> vowels, the final consonant is <U>not</U> doubled before the
ending is added. The reason for this is that two vowels together
are generally pronounced <B>long</B>. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to rain</TD><TD>&nbsp; raining</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to read</TD><TD>&nbsp; reading</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to meet</TD><TD>&nbsp; meeting</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to soak</TD><TD>&nbsp; soaking</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#3">Exercise 3</A>.<BR>
<BR>

<!--page 19-->
<A NAME="3d"></A>
<B>d. Verbs of more than one syllable which end in a single consonant
preceded by a single vowel</B><BR>
When a verb of more than one syllable ends in a single consonant other
than <B>w</B>, <B>x</B> or <B>y</B> preceded by a single vowel, the final consonant
is doubled to form the present participle only when the last syllable of
the verb is pronounced with the heaviest stress.<BR>
<BR>
For instance, in the following examples, the last syllables of the verbs
have the heaviest stress, and the final consonants are doubled to form the
present participles. In these examples, the syllables pronounced with
the heaviest stress are underlined. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to ex<U>pel</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; expelling</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to be<U>gin</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; beginning</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to oc<U>cur</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; occurring</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to o<U>mit</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; omitting</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
When a verb of more than one syllable ends in <B>w</B>, <B>x</B> or <B>y</B>, the final
consonant is <U>not</U> doubled before the ending <B>ing</B> is added. In the following
examples, the syllables pronounced with the heaviest stress are underlined. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to al<U>low</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; allowing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to af<U>fix</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; affixing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to con<U>vey</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; conveying</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
When the last syllable of a verb is <U>not</U> pronounced with the heaviest
stress, the final consonant is usually <U>not</U> doubled to form the present
participle. For instance, in the following examples, the last syllables
of the verbs do not have the heaviest stress, and the final consonants
are not doubled to form the present participles. In these examples, the
syllables pronounced with the heaviest stress are underlined. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to <U>lis</U>ten</TD><TD>&nbsp; listening</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to <U>or</U>der</TD><TD>&nbsp; ordering</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to <U>fo</U>cus</TD><TD>&nbsp; focusing</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; to <U>li</U>mit</TD><TD>&nbsp; limiting</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
If necessary, a dictionary can be consulted to determine which syllable
of a verb has the heaviest stress. Many dictionaries use symbols such
as apostrophes to indicate which syllables are pronounced with the
heaviest stress.<BR>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#4">Exercise 4</A>.<BR>
<BR>
It should be noted that British and American spelling rules differ for
verbs which end in a single <B>l</B> preceded by a single vowel. In British
spelling, the <B>l</B> is always doubled before the endings <B>ing</B> and <B>ed</B><BR>

<!--page 20-->
are added. However, in American spelling, verbs ending with a single <B>l</B> 
follow the same rule as other verbs; the <B>l</B> is doubled only when the last
syllable has the heaviest stress. In the following examples, the syllables
with the heaviest stress are underlined. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Infinitive</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Present Participle</B></U></TD><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR><TD><B>&nbsp;</B></TD><TD><U><B>American Spelling</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>British Spelling</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;to <U>sig</U>nal</TD><TD>&nbsp; signaling</TD><TD>&nbsp; signalling</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;to <U>tra</U>vel</TD><TD>&nbsp; traveling</TD><TD>&nbsp; travelling</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;</TD><TD>&nbsp;</TD><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;to com<U>pel</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; compelling</TD><TD>&nbsp; compelling</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp;to pro<U>pel</U></TD><TD>&nbsp; propelling</TD><TD>&nbsp; propelling</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
From these examples it can be seen that the American and British
spellings for verbs ending in a single <B>l</B> differ only when the last
syllable does not have the heaviest stress.<P>
&nbsp;<BR>

<A NAME="4"></A>
<CENTER><B>4. Questions and negative statements</B></CENTER><BR>

<A NAME="4a"></A>
<B>a. Questions</B><BR>
In the Present Continuous, the verb <B>to be</B> acts as an auxiliary. As
is the case with other English tenses, it is the auxiliary which is used
to form questions and negative statements.<BR>
<BR>
To form a question in the Present Continuous tense, the auxiliary is 
placed before the subject. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Affirmative Statement</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Question</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; I am working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Am I working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; You are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Are you working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; He is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Is he working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; She is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Is she working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; It is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Is it working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; We are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Are we working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; They are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; Are they working?</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#5">Exercise 5</A>.<BR>
<BR>

<A NAME="4b"></A>
<B>b. Negative statements</B><BR>
To form a negative statement, the word <B>not</B> is added after the auxiliary. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Affirmative Statement</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Negative Statement</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; I am working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; I am not working.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; You are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; You are not working.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; He is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; He is not working.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; She is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; She is not working.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; It is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; It is not working.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; We are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; We are not working.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; They are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; They are not working.</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#6">Exercise 6</A>.<BR>

<!--page 21-->
<BR>
<A NAME="4c"></A>
<B>c. Negative questions</B><BR>
To form a negative question, the auxiliary is placed before the subject, and
the word <B>not</B> is placed after the subject. However, when contractions are
used, the contracted form of <B>not</B> follows immediately after the auxiliary.
Although there is no universally accepted contraction for <B>am not</B>, the
expression <B>aren't I?</B> is often used in spoken English. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Without Contractions</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>With Contractions</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Am I not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; [Aren't I working?] - used in speaking</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Are you not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; Aren't you working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Is he not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; Isn't he working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Is she not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; Isn't she working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Is it not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; Isn't it working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Are we not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; Aren't we working?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; Are they not working?</TD><TD>&nbsp; Aren't they working?</TD></TR>
</TABLE><BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#7">Exercise 7</A>.<BR>
<BR>

<A NAME="4d"></A>
<B>d. Tag questions</B><BR>
Tag questions are also formed using the auxiliary. In the following
examples, the tag questions are underlined. In spoken English, <B>aren't I?</B> 
is often used as a tag question. For example:<BR><BR>
<TABLE  border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<TR><TD><U><B>Affirmative Statement</B></U></TD><TD><U><B>Affirmative Statement with Tag Question</B></U></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; I am working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; I am working, <U>am I not</U>?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; You are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; You are working, <U>aren't you</U>?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; He is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; He is working, <U>isn't he</U>?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; She is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; She is working, <U>isn't she</U>?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; It is working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; It is working, <U>isn't it</U>?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; We are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; We are working, <U>aren't we</U>?</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>&nbsp; They are working.</TD><TD>&nbsp; They are working, <U>aren't they</U>?</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#8">Exercise 8</A>.<P>
&nbsp;<BR>

<A NAME="5"></A>
<CENTER><B>5. Comparison of the uses of the simple present and present continuous</B></CENTER><BR>
As pointed out in Chapter 1, the Simple Present tense may be used for
stating general truths, and for referring to actions which occur at
regular intervals. In the following examples, the verbs in the Simple
Present tense are underlined.<BR>
e.g. Nova Scotia <U>is</U> a Canadian province.
Geese <U>fly</U> south every winter.<BR>
<BR>
In contrast, the Present Continuous tense is usually used to refer to
ongoing actions happening at the time of speaking or writing. In the
following examples, the verbs in the Present Continuous tense are
underlined.<BR>
e.g. Right now, I <U>am visiting</U> the province of Nova Scotia.
At the moment, a flock of geese <U>is flying</U> overhead.<BR>
<BR>
See <A HREF="gramex03.html#9">Exercise 9</A>.

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